Safety support for ladders



Jan. 13, 1959 G. R. HESS SAFETY SUPPORT FOR LADDERS Filed April 12, 1957 INVENTOR. GEORCE R H United This invention relates generally to safety devices for ladders and more particularly to an anti-sway ladder attachment. v

Recently, ladders made of metal, for example, aluminum, have come into general favor for outdoor work principally because, they are light in weight, in -conse quence of which they are easy to handle. These metal ladders, however, are subject to the inherent disadvantage that a workman utilizing such a ladder experiences the sensation of swaying from side to side, which sensation makes him uncomfortable and concerned for his safety.

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most panel s, designated 16 16,, form portions of the inner plies respectively of the trough sidesfl-l- -ll.

A second rectangular sheet of material 17 is bent along I three lines each extending the full length of the sheet trough bottom 10, and the two outermost panels, desig- "nated l9-l9, form the remaining portions of the inner Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide an efiective anti-sway ladder attachment arranged to receive the bottom of the ladder, (be moved from location .to location therewith while attached tothe same, and be detached from the ladder when not in use, .all with a maximum of convenience and aminimum of loss in time .and effort.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such an attachment which operates to brace the base of the ladder against lateral instability whereby to impart to a light weight ladder made of metal a lateral stability comparable with that of a, wooden ladder.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide such an attachment which is simple in design and economical in manufacture, sturdy in construction and convenient and effective in use.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully hereinafter, it being understood that the present invention consists in the combination, construction, location and relative arrangement of parts,

all as will appear more fully hereinafter, as shown in the accompanying drawings and :as finally pointed out in the appended claims.

In the-accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an "attachment constructed in accordance with and embodying the principles of the present invention, the attachment being shown applied to the base of a ladder.

Figure 2 is an end view of the attachment.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the attachment.

Figure 4 is a side view of the attachment.

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse section through the attachment, on line 5, 5 of Figure 4.

The attachment constructed in accordance with and embodying the principles of the present invention comparallel to the opposite side edges thereof to thereby form four rectangularpanelsj The two innermost panels, designated lit-18 conjointly form the inner ply of the plies respectively of the trough sides 11-41. Referring particularly to Figure 5, the opposite side marginal pol"- tions of the sheet metal section 13 are crimped respectively over the, opposite side marginal portions of the sheet metal section 17, asat 2i)2.0.

t The end walls 12, each formed froma single sheet 0f metal, are provided with main wall areas 2121 that j have laterally extending flanges (not shown) which are sandwiched between the outer and inner plies of the t trough bottom 10 and side walls 1 .l11. For securing the end walls 12-,12 against displacement, the opposite end portions of the metal sheet 13 are turn-edupwardly overthe outer sides thereoflas at22. g t

The opposite end portions of thertrough-like member are seated respectively in wooden blocks 2323,,,which.

latter are securedlto the trouglrbottorn l0 by wood screws 24. These blocks are so shaped that when they reston the ground, the trough is tilted thereby to one shown.

The end walls 12-12 are provided respectively with upright extensions 25-25 that are turned. slightly inwardly toward one another and which have marginal portions turned over, as at 26. Secured to these extensions respectively are thelower end portions of a pairof flexible non-extensible straps 27-27, each ofwhich latter is fitted with a buckle 28. t in the use of the attachment, the same is arranged on t the ground at a suitable distance from, parallel toand tilting toward the wall against which the top of the ladder is to rest. Then the ladder, designated L, with the top thereof resting against the wall, is first raised from the ground and then lowered so that the foot thereof enters the trough. Finally, the straps 2727 are trained over the opposite end portions of one of the ladder rungs preferredly the second from the bottom of the ladder, drawn taut and buckled. attachment islconsiderably longer than theladder is wide so that each strap extends outwardly and downwardly prises an open top horizontally extending channeled or trough-like member including a longitudinally extending two-ply bottom wall 10, a pair of longitudinally extending two-ply opposite side Walls 11-11 and a pair of transsheet parallel to the opposite side edges thereof. The

of ladders. oppositely sloping bottom wall areas of the trough serve from the end of the ladder rungfiover which. itfis trainedfto the point ofits anchorage tothe attachment. In addition, it will be observed that the spacing between the rails of the ladder may vary considerably, in consequence of which the attachment may bensed with different sizes Furthermore, it will be observed that the to automatically earn the foot of the ladder from one side of the trough to the other, depending upon the inclination of the ladder, so that the square corners, designated 29, at the lower terminals of the ladder rails, always engage respectively said oppositely sloping areas, whereby to favor stability of the attachment and to secure the same against overturning.

The attachment eflectively braces the ladder against side sway so that a workman feels safe While using the same.

location to location therewith as a unit.

two innermost panels, designated 14-l4, conjointly form 1 the outer ply of the trough bottom 10, the two next adjacent panels, designated 1515, form the outer plies respectively of the trough sides 1111, and the two outer- It will be understood, of course, that the present invention as hereinbefore described and as shown in the accompanying drawings is susceptible to various changes and modifications which may be made from time to time without departing from the general principles or real spirit of the invention, and accordingly it is intended to claim side, as

It will be observed that the It is easily attached and detached from the ladder. 1 When strapped to the ladder, it can be easily moved from 3 the same broadly, as well as specifically, as indicated by the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In combination with a ladder adapted to lea against a wall in-an inclined position, an attachment including a rigid elongated member of uniform open top channel form in transverse section extending across the foot of the ladder, the lower extremities of the ladderrails being removably fitted into said channel member between the opposite side walls, and in direct engagement walls, and a'bottom wall that slopes downwardly from said opposite side walls inwardly to the center of said bottom wall, and said opposite side walls are spaced apart a distance exceeding the depth of the ladder rails, whereby the foot of said ladder is freely inserted between said opposite side walls and in any position thereof transversely of said member rests directly upon said bottom wall with the remote corners ofeach ladder rail in direct conadapted for tilting said member to one side in the direction in which said ladder leans, whereby to facilitate fitting said member over the ladder rails.

2. In a ladder attachment, the combination comprising a rigid elongated member of uniform open top channel form in transverse section adapted for extending across .the foot of a ladder with thelower extremities of the ladder rails removably fitted into said channel member between the opposite side walls, and in direct engagement with the bottom Wall of said channel member, said elongated member being provided with upright opposite side of the ladder and for being drawn taut to detachably secure said member against displacement, and a pair of ground engaging pads fixed to and underlying respectively I v with the bottom wall of said channel member, said elongated member being provided with upright opposite side walls, and a bottom wall that slopes downwardly from said opposite side walls inwardly to the center of said bottom wall, and said opposite side walls are spaced apart a distance sufficient for insertion of the foot of the ladder freely therebetween, whereby to adapt said member for direct contact of the remote corners of each ladder rail respectively with the oppositely sloping bottom wall areas irrespective of the position of the ladder rails transversely of said member, a pair of ties having corresponding end portions secured respectively to opposite end portions of said member and being adapted to converge upwardly the opposite end portions of said member and of a form adapted for tilting said member to one side whereby to facilitate fitting said member over the lower extremities of the ladder rails when the ladder is leaned against a wall.

3. In combination with a ladder adapted to lean against a wall in an inclined position and having opposite side rails with square lower terminals, an attachment including a rigid elongated member of uniform transverse section provided with upright opposite side walls, upright opposite end walls, and a bottom wall that slopes downwardly from said opposite side walls inwardly to the center of said bottom wall, said opposite side and bottom Walls being of double-ply sheet metal construction, said opposite end walls being of single ply sheet metal construction and having laterally extending flanges sandwiched between the double plies aforesaid, and said opposite side walls being spaced apart a distance exceeding the depth of the ladder rails, whereby the foot of said ladder is freely inserted between said opposite side walls and in any position thereof transversely of said member rests upon the inner ply of said bottom wall with the remote corners at each ladder rail lower terminal in direct contact respectively with the oppositely sloping bottom wall areas of said inner ply, a pair of flexible nonextensible straps having corresponding lower end portions tilting said member to one side in the direction in which said ladder leans, whereby to facilitate fitting said member over the ladder rails.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 7ss,713- Shanaham Mar. 29, 1904 1,455,002 Johnson May 15, 1923 2,273,124 McDaniels Feb. 17, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS I 337 Great Britain Jan. 5, 1897 7,879 Great Britain Apr. 5, 1904 

